Has the internet ruined Star Wars? ... The latest pictures and news about the
cast and plot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A new rumour about the plot of JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens has hit the internet – and, if true, it could be the biggest spoiler yet.

The rumour was first posted by the Star Wars fan website Making Star Wars, via a "trusted friend" of contributor Jason Ward. While there is absolutely no official basis for the story, Cinemablend has pointed out that some (but by no means all) of the previous rumours posted on Making Star Wars have had some truth to them.

A new interview with Apple's chief designer Jonathan Ive, published in the New Yorker, may offer some additional clues about the design of the lightsabers in JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Warsfilm.

The website Business Insider has noted that, in the interview, Ive recalled a dinner party conversation with Abrams, during which the pair discussed the look of the lightsabers:

Ive said: "It was just a conversation ... I thought it would be interesting if it were less precise, and just a little bit more spitty ... [a lightsaber should be] more analog and more primitive, and I think, in that way, somehow more ominous".

JJ Abrams is considering releasing his heavily anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens this summer, according to unconfirmed reports from Ikwiz and Movie Pilot. The film has a current release date of December 18 2015.

According to Movie Pilot, the director is losing patience with the constant stream of plot and image leaks from the Star Wars set, and believes that shifting to an earlier release date will mean the film isn't "ruined" before fans can see it. The Ikwiz article states: "Disney is reportedly taking Abrams’ request very seriously, and is looking at a possible summer release."

While many Star Wars fans dream of one day owning their very own Millennium Falcon, the closest most people get to achieving this goal is recreating Han Solo's famous ship in Lego. But now, one dedicated enthusiast has taken Star Wars "toys" to a whole new level.

A YouTube user, who goes by the name of Olivier C, has built a Millennium Falcon radio-controlled quadcopter drone, and filmed himself flying it.

A well-known Star Wars character, Jedi master Yoda, will be joining a host of other famous waxworks at London's Madame Tussauds.

The tourist attraction is in the process of recreating 11 different scenes from the Star Wars films, including Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's legenadary clash on the Death Star, and Princess Leia's time as a captive in Jabba's Throne Room in Return of the Jedi (remembered by some fans as the "gold bikini" scene). The multi-million pound Star Wars experience, which is being created in collaboration with Disney and Lucas Film, will open in May.

The build-up to JJ Abrams's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released this December, has been marked by a series of rumours and alleged leaks. But now it seems that Disney is getting tough on anyone illegally sharing content from the film.

The studio has requested that a judge issue a subpoena to a website named ImageShack, which is hosting a blurred image of a cloaked, masked Sith Lord clutching a red lightsaber – said to be a leaked still from the film. At the time of writing, the image in question has not been removed.

Speaking at a panel with Robert Redford at Redford's Sundance Film Festival, Star Wars creator Lucas has said that he was blamed for modern cinema's love of "splat" because he created Star Wars, arguably the first big blockbuster franchise.

“A lot of movies you see today are circus movies," he said. "It's now gotten to be more and more circus than substance. I get blamed for a lot of that." He added: "if you go into Star Wars and see what’s going on there, there’s a lot more substance than circus."

Oscar-nominated The Theory Of Everything actress Felicity Jones is in the running for a lead role in Godzilla director Gareth Edwards's forthcoming Star Wars spin-off movie, according to the latest Hollywood rumours.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo star Rooney Mara and Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany are also said to be in with a chance of starring in the film.

While the subject matter of Edwards's standalone movie is yet to be confirmed, a recent report in Wales Online suggested that the film will be focused on a group of intergalactic bounty hunters, and will feature a young Princess Leia as one of the main characters.

Last week, filmmaker and Star Wars creator George Lucas revealed that he originally wanted to direct the new Star Wars movie, prior to Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012. Now, in a new interview with the website CinemaBlend, poor Lucas has revealed that all of his plans for the seventh Star Wars film were abandoned by Disney.

JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens will feature the franchise's first female stormtrooper, according to the latest internet rumours.

The news was broken by BBC entertainment journalist Lizo Mzimba, who tweeted that the little-known British actress and model Amybeth Hargreaves had been cast as one of the imperial soldiers. Mzimba also tweeted a link to his source for the news: the movie casting website Spotlight.

Several commenters, including Mzimba, have suggested that Hargreaves may be playing the stunt double of Gwendoline Christie. To date, the name of the character that Christie will be playing in Star Wars remains unconfirmed.

When asked if he could see Ex Machina director Alex Garland as the director of one of the Star Wars spin-off movies, or even the next Blade Runner film, Isaac told The Telegraph: "Yes, I could see him doing both of those things. He just has a brilliant mind for story telling, and for putting things together and for making sure that they fit ... I could see him doing any number of things, not only specifically sci-fi."

The first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens sparked worldwide excitement, and provided fans with a glimpse of new characters including Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley), as well as a new rollerball droid, a revamped Millennium Falcon and mysterious villain Kylo Ren. But there was no sign of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia – three main characters from the original Star Wars trilogy, all of whom have key roles in JJ Abrams's film. Anxious fans can now breathe a sign of relief. 32 years after they last appeared together in a Star Wars film, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher will all feature in the next trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, according to a report from Latino Review.

A man who sued Disney for stopping him from producing an X-wing lookalike flying car has had his case dismissed. The US-based plaintiff, Delaware resident Joseph Alfred, was planning to work with a company called Terrafugia Inc, which he believed would be capable of producing the vehicle in question. In his lawsuit – conducted without the help of a lawyer – Alfred alleged that, by refusing to license the use of the X-wing design and participate in his proposal, Disney were essentially "stalling the next evolution of human transportation”.

After watching the teaser for JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, many fans were left feeling worried about the film's mysterious villain, Kylo Ren. In the trailer, Ren brandishes a distinctive crossguard lightsaber. viewers were quick to point out that the weapon didn't look entirely safe.

Back in December, a YouTube user named ThegnThrand decided to test the safety of the lightsaber, and end the hand-chopping rumours once and for all, by performing his own makeshift test. ThegnThrand has now posted a new video, seen above which repeated the experiment with a new, more accuarate model of Ren's weapon.

Chelsea fans have been caught on camera pretending to recognise fictional football players such as "JJ Binks" and "Stew Bacca" in a new video, produced by the radio station TalkSport.

In the clip, an interviewer visits the club's homeground of Stamford Bridge and engages fans in a discussion about potential new transfers. Many of the fans go on to assess the abilities and potential of the "players", unaware that all the names given are in fact based on various Star Wars characters.

George Lucas has revealed that he originally wanted to direct the new Star Wars sequel.

The filmmaker told USA Today that, prior to Disney’s acquisition of LucasFilm in 2012, he was planning a seventh Star Wars film for release in May 2015. He later decided to step away from the series, after realising that overseeing a new trilogy would require a commitment of at least 10 years.

Star Wars: Simon Kinberg is the new screenwriter for stand-alone Star Wars film

Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past) is the new screenwriter for Godzilladirector Gareth Edwards's forthcoming stand-alone Star Wars spin-off, according to the latest rumours. It was recently announced that screenwriter Gary Whitta (After Earth) had left the project.

“Gary has been a wonderful, inspired contributor and I enjoyed working with him tremendously,” said Edwards in a statement. “I’m so grateful for all of his contributions.”

Whitta and Edwards had been working on the film since May last year.

7.1.15

Saesee Tiin actor Khan Bonfils dies in rehearsal

Khan Bonfils, the English actor who played the Jedi master opposite Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor in The Phantom Menace, has died while rehearsing for a production of Dante's Inferno in a London theatre. He was 42.

A new survey, conducted by the online ticketing company Fandango, suggests that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is 2015's most anticipated movie. Avengers: Age of Ultron gained second place, and The Hunger Games – Mockingjay Part Two came in third.

Oscar Isaac, who stars as a character named Poe Dameron in JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, has stated that the fan theories surrounding the film couldn't be more wrong.

"I can’t speak for the cast and crew, I can just speak for myself, but for me I thought, 'Don’t you want to wait so you can get the real thing?'" Isaac told Yahoo Movies, in response to a question about the constant stream of Star Wars "spoilers" and leaks. "But it creates excitement for it. I don’t think these little leaks necessarily ruined watching the trailer. And also, the [plot theories] that get that formulated based on these things — they couldn’t be more far off-base."

The front cover of the January 2015 edition of Fortune magazine offers the first close up of the revamped Millennium Falcon from JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But unfortunately for fans of Han Solo's famous spacecraft, the view of the Falcon is partially blocked – by Disney CEO Bob Iger.

How did you spend Christmas Day? The people behind MakingStarWars.net celebrated by posting new reports that Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul is connected to the first Star Wars spin-off film, which will focus on Han Solo. Festive.

The image is alleged to be of the moulds for a new set of Star Wars character toys, and depicts figurines representing Kylo Ren, John Boyega's Finn, Daisy Ridley's Rey, new droid BB-8 and wookiee Chewbacca.

Finn – seen in the trailer in a stormtrooper costume – is dressed in a sleeveless jacket over a long-sleeved white top, similar to the outfit worn by Han Solo in the original trilogy. HIs outfit has fuelled rumours that the caharcter may be a runaway stormtrooper. The mould for Rey is dressed in long, Jedi-style robes, hinting that Ridley's character may begin Jedi training at some point in the film.

British rising star Maisie Richardson-Sellers, whose previous roles have been limited to theatre, short films and an appearance in American vampire series The Originals, has been cast in JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Oscar Isaac won't be the only member of his family appearing in the new Star Wars film, according to Vulture.

When the actor was cast in The Force Awakens, his uncle, brother and cousin – described by Isaac as "the biggest Star Wars fans of all time" – could barely contain their excitement. Isaac later arranged for his uncle to visit the film set, where director JJ Abrams had surprise in store for the dedicated fan. "He asked him, 'You want to be in the movie?' And so he put him in as an extra!" Isaac said.

What kind of extra? Isaac was remaining tight-lipped.

17.12.14

Is Gwendoline Christie playing Captain Phasma?

Christie as Brienne of Tarth in HBO's Game of Thrones

Captain Phasma is the name of the chrome stormtrooper played by Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie in JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, according to the latest internet rumours.

The US film news website Stitch Kingdom reported that, along with the character names featured on last week's trading cards, Disney also registered a copyright application for the name "Captain Phasma".

While the identity of the mysterious Captain remains unknown, the latest stories circulating online suggest that the name may refer to the character played by Gwendoline Christie. Christie, it has been rumoured, will play a villain: a chrome storm trooper, who is also the commanding officer to Boyega's character, Finn.

Actor Mark Hamill, who is reprising his role as Luke Skywalker for JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, has revealed that BB-8, the intriguing "rolling-ball" droid seen in the trailer, is a physical prop, rather than a CGI creation.

"They let me play around with it. I was running it all around at the creature shop up in Pinewood. I’m telling you, it’s an absolute delight," said Hamill, in an interview with Yahoo Movies.

The actor also fuelled speculation that Daisy Ridley's character, Rey, might be the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia. When asked if he was surprised by not being put in the Force Awakens teaser, the actor said: "Not really." He then added: "This must be our offspring and the current generation, with us there lending the kind of support that Peter Cushing and Alec Guinness did in the original."

Disney is planning to fully integrate the new Star Wars films into its theme parks, according to Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger. The majority of the planned new Star Wars attractions will be based on The Force Awakens, and on the forthcoming sequels and spin-off films.

In reference to his plans for a significant number of new Star Wars attractions, Iger said: “Why not? We bought the thing. We can do that now.”

The 88-second teaser trailer forStar Wars: The Force Awakens has spawned dozens of spin-offs and was viewed nearly 72 million times in its first week alone, making it the most-viewed teaser ever.

However, despite the fact that a spoof video has been made of George Lucas watching the trailer (with Hayden Christiansen-as-Ghostly-Force-Ani, no less), the actual Star Wars creator has confessed he's not seen the first glimpse of the forthcoming film.

Lucas, who is a creative consultant on JJ Abrams' film, toldthe New York Post's Page Six: "I don't know anything about [the trailer]. I haven't seen it yet."

More specifically, that Driver is the hooded figure carrying that crossguard lightsabre which caused such excitement when the first Force Awakens teaser trailer was released. Edgerton, who was cast in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, is a massive Star Wars fan andtold GQ: "I'm pretty certain, and I don't know this for a fact, but just knowing how tall Adam is, and how he moves, and the fact that there was chatter on the internet that he was going to play the equivalent of a Darth Vader, it's got to be him with that red lightsaber."

According to an alleged LucasFilm insider Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be the darkest Star Wars film yet. The insider compared the galaxy's situation to "the European theatre of 1944", with the Empire being Germany and the Republic the Allies in a war of attrition.

The rumours come from a substantial leak of information from a 4Chan user called Spoiler Man, who claims to be a LucasFilm employee. Around 3,000 words of character information, plotlines and even parts of the script emerged online during the weekend and have since been posted on the Star Wars Reddit feed. Right now,Star Wars fans are treating the information cautiously. Read the full, spoiler-free story here.

WARNING - POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW

Some of the leaked plot details are as follows:

The premise of the film is that the Force has become stronger and more potent. There is a great tremor in the Force early in the film; those familiar with the Force feel as if its fundamental nature has somehow changed, while previously oblivious Force-sensitive individuals suddenly realize that they have a gift.

Boyega is, for all intents and purposes, the “new Luke Skywalker” (with a touch of Han Solo thrown in). He realizes he’s Force-sensitive when he feels the aforementioned tremor.

Luke went into seclusion following an event post-Endor that has caused him to become hesitant when using his power to its full extent. He’s not really hiding, but rather hoping to keep attention off of his activities.

Adam Driver’s character is the leader of Red Squadron. He is a hot shot fighter axe with dreams of grandeur, and has an ominous fascination with power and the Sith. He collects items relating to their order and has a close relationship with a past character who may or may not have fallen to the Dark Side

Max Von Sydow’s character is not Boba Fett, Darth Maul, or Mace Windu.

While Sydow’s identity is a surprise, it’s not necessarily earth-shattering. It’s the sort of thing that hardcore fans would be excited about, but overly casual fans likely won’t realize the significance of. Sydow’s identity does have meaning, but you need to know the context.

The film is apparently on par (quality wise) with Episode IV. "I'd say its as good as A New Hope", Spoiler Man says when asked which film it measures up to.

02.14.12

New Star Wars trailer to debut with Avengers: Age of Ultron

Still watching the Star Wars teaser on repeat? The good news is, you'll only have to wait six months for a fresh glimpse into JJ Abrams's forthcoming film. A new trailer for The Force Awakens will be attached to Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron, according to a report from the website Slashfilm.

It didn't take long for the online Star Wars fans to spot JJ Abrams' Easter Eggs in The Force Awakens trailer. One of them is that the Millenium Falcon has undergone some repairs since The Return of the Jedi, notably a new radar dish. Even more notably, a new rectangular radar dish.

Amazingly, it's been four days since the first teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released. Amazingly, the internet has managed to survive the aftermath, with two especially excellent things coming out of the fray.

The first is that HitFlix are reporting that Andy Serkis was behind the microphone for the teaser trailer, rather than his Hobbit co-star, Benedict Cumberbatch, about whom rumours were flying (when will people give up the Cumberghost?).Read the full story here.

Secondly, John Boyega is fast emerging as the most charming of the new Star Wars cast. Thanking his fans for "all the love and support" the Attack the Block star added a postscript directed at those who have been criticising his casting as a Stormtrooper online: "To whom it may concern: Get used to it. :)"Head here for more.

27.11.14

Update: Star Wars trailer will now premiere online

The official Star Wars Twitter account has now confirmed that the eagerly-anticipated trailer for JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens will also appear on iTunes on Friday November 28. This will be the world premiere of the trailer.

The move comes after Disney faced criticism for opting to initially only release the trailer to a small number of cinemas in the US.

The eagerly-anticipated first trailer for JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens will make its debut in a small number of cinemas across the US this Friday, Regal Cinemas has announced.

The US entertainment chain said that the teaser trailer will play before all movies showing at nine of its locations, including cinemas in New York City, Atlanta, Chicago and San Diego. The trailer screenings will begin on Friday November 28, and will continue across the weekend. At present, there is no word from Disney on when the trailer will be officially released online.

The full list of US theatres where the trailer will be showing is as follows:

The GIF below, which depicts the Millennium Falcon flying into shot, blasters firing, is rumoured to be the first footage from JJ Abrams' new Star Wars film. The fan website Making Star Wars posted the GIF last weekend.

Speculation is rife that the new Star Wars trailer will reveal the villain of The Force Awakens. If the latest rumours from the website Latino Review are anything to go by, the film's bad guy resembles a cross between the red Imperial Guards from Return of the Jedi (pictured below) and Darth Reven from the Star Wars video game Knights of the Old Republic. It's unlikley the villain will actually be Revan, as Kinights of the Old Repyblic isn't considered part of the official Star Wars canon.

20.11.14

The Force Awakens trailer could be shown ahead of The Hobbit

The latest rumours surrounding the eagerly anticipated trailer for JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens are saying that it will be shown ahead of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The Hobbit premieres in London on December 1, and will be in UK cinemas from December 12.

The rumours emerged after the website Star Wars 7 News reported on a tweet, which supposedly quoted Tommy Gormley, first assistant director on The Force Awakens. Somewhat suspiciously, the Twitter account in question has now been taken down.

Up and coming director AJ Edwards recently did an "ask me anything" session on Reddit, to promote his new movie The Better Angels. When asked by a fan if there was any truth to rumors that he would direct a future Star Wars movie, Edwards responded with two comments: "Talking about it, not able to say a lot yet" and "It will focus on Mace Windu."

Chronicle director Josh Trank and Godzilla's Gareth Edwards have already been hired to make two of Disney's three promised Star Wars spin-offs. Could AJ Edwards really be in line to direct the third – and will it really focus on Windu? Or was the director just having a bit of mischievous fun with his fans?

18.11.14

Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer could be here before Christmas

Although it won't necessarily tell us much.Badass Digest have information from a Star Wars source that says the trailer will be released in the next "four to five weeks". However, whenever it gets here, it won't give much away: apparently the trailer will be less than a minute long, just show some of the main characters and have no dialogue apart from a female voice saying "wake up".

Star Wars fans were delighted when three popular characters from the franchise – Han Solo, C-3PO and Lando Calrissian – made cameo appearance in Warner Bros' The Lego Movie, along with Solo's famous spaceship, the Millennium Falcon. But according to the film's writers and directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, a much bigger role was originally planned for another Star Wars icon: C-3PO's fellow droid, R2-D2. Sadly for R2 fans, the directors were unable to secure the rights to the character.

Sci-fi fans will be over the moon, as a collection of never before seen Star Wars memorabilia and artwork comes up for auction. The Colin Cantwell Collection features eight pieces of original pre-production art created for George Lucas, to aid the director in visualising the spaceships that might populate the Star Wars universe.

A new Star Wars parody, created by Josh Apter and Gary Mahmoud of the comedy group Are We There Yet, depicts Star Wars' Princess Leia walking through New York. In the video, the woman playing the princess is accosted by a host of Star Wars characters.

The video parodies the hidden camera footage released by anti-street harassment organisation Hollaback! last month, and has attracted criticism from viewers who believe it is making light of the issue of street harassment. But others have claimed that the video is a humorous, harmless way of publicising the original experiment.

His words, not ours. The Intestellar director is clearly comfortable with bending the laws of astrophysics in his latest three hour sci-fi epic. However, taking on the Lucas universe is something he would be too afraid of.

Nolan told The Daily Beast: "As far as whether or not I would have ever [directed a Star Wars sequel], the truth is I think I’d be afraid to touch it! [JJ Abrams] is boldly going where he went before in Star Trek, and it takes colossal balls."

And it was "so cool." The Harry Potter star used his industry contacts (the fact he essentially grew up at Pinewood Studios) to sneak onto The Force Awakens set and hang out with Harrison Ford and JJ Abrams on the Millenium Falcon, where he promptly revealed he'd waited until he was 25 to watch the original trilogy.

Like everyone else who has been on set, Radcliffe was enthusiastic about what's in store: "It's so cool. The overwhelming atmosphere of the place is just so exciting."

"For Harrison Ford, who has been doing these films for so long, to be so excited about the new ones is an amazing sign."

Lego Ideas have revealed that they will be making a miniature version of The Big Bang Theory set, but in the process let slip that an AT-AT model the size of a dog and a lightsaber are being reviewed by the company. Which means in January they could be made into official products to buy!

Both were suggested to Lego Ideas early in 2012, so it will have been a long time coming if Lego does decide to go ahead - but arguably worth the wait. Read the full story here.

7.11.14

The Force Awakens... makes some coffee

Regardless of what you think of the Star Wars VII title, there have been plenty of jokes made about what The Force does after waking up. We've compiled the best ones here, but the really interesting thing is that the title was suggested in December 2012 by an infrequent user of Star Wars fansite TheForce.net.

The woman, whose forum username was Queen Gimmedala, told TheForce.net that she "totally forgot I came up with it" and it was "a random guess", albiet one formed on some Star Wars knowledge "I knew it was going to be three words, and the force. I also knew that the wording would be vague/ambiguous/old fashioned like all the other six movie titles."

The jokes about the the Force needing coffee is two years old, too: another user, furcifer, responded to Queen Gimmedala with "VII - The Force Awakens. VIII - The Force Gets Out Of Bed. XI - The Force Makes Coffee."

06/11/14

Episode 7 title revealed

The Ancient Fear - the title originally rumoured for Star Wars Episode 7 - is old news. The official Star Wars Twitter account today revealed that the official title will be Star Wars: the Force Awakens, making this the first Star Wars film to drop the number from its title.

05/11/14

George Lucas's space-age new museum

The design for Lucas's new Chicago museum

Star wars creator George Lucas is building and financing a $300 million (£190 million) museum on a Chicago lake front. Rather appropriately, the planned structure, which will be known as the George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, looks like something out of a space movie. While it will house a limited amount of Star Wars material, the majority of its collection will consist of pieces themed around the concept of storytelling.

The website Star Wars 7 News has uncovered a number of potential plot details from JJ Abrams's new Star Wars film.

An anonymous source, whom the website believes may be legitimate, claims to have inside information on recent filming. According to the source, Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch filmed a cameo scene last week. Speculation surrounding Cumberbatch and a Star Wars role has been rife for a while now, but the actor has consistently refused to confirm the rumours. Warwick Davies and Simon Pegg are also said to have roles in the film.

According to the BBC, a thank you note written by the new Star Wars film's producers and sent to the cast and crew confirms that parts of the movie were definitely shot in the Gloucestershire forest.

The letter, written to mark the final day of shooting on Episode VII, thanks the "extraordinary" cast and crew for working "from the deserts of Abu Dhabi, to the Forest of Dean, to the stages of Pinewood".

Actor Ewan McGregor, who starred as Obi Wan Kenobi in George Lucas's trilogy of Star Wars prequels, has spoken out about his hatred of the Star Wars memorabilia market.

"I've never been to one of the [fan] conventions" McGregor told the US men's magazine Details. "The people I meet are the f---ers who want me to sign Star Wars photos so they can sell them on the internet, or the people at premieres who are crushing children against barriers to get me to sign their f---ing picture of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

An early Christmas present has arrived, courtesy of the BFI. On December 13 they will be hosting Star Wars Day, with screenings of the special editions of the original trilogy and yet-to-be-announced special guests (we're hoping for a festive Ewok).

The event will also give an opportunity to dust off those Comic-Con and fancy dress outfits, as there will be prizes to be won, and the Institute is promising to transform the local branch of Benugo into Mos Eisley Cantina for themed cocktails and a DJ set.

27.10.14

Do you dare to look at the concept art?

It's not been deemed official yet, but the release of a number of concept art images, said to be for Star Wars: Episode 7, has sent fans into rumours overdrive.

Depending on who you believe, the images show spoilers for the fallen over AT-AT that Daisy Ridley's character Kira lives in, a potential new addition to Chewbacca and the intricacies of Han Solo's coat.

In tonight's episode of the Graham Norton Show, Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch discussed a recent visit to the Star Wars set, and refused to deny his involvement in JJ Abrams' forthcoming movie.

"I went to the set. It was incredible," he said.

Mysteriously, he then added: "I probably shouldn't be saying these things."

Harrison Ford joins Shropshire flying club

Star Wars actor Harrison Ford has joined a Shropshire flying club.

Bob Pooler, chief instructor with Shropshire Aero Club, told the BBC that the call from the star came "out of the blue".

Ford had apparently had his heart set on bringing one of his own planes to Britain, but ran out of time before filming began. Pooler told the BBC that he delivered a plane from Sleap Airfield, near Wem, to Denham, close to Pinewood Studios, on Sunday.

"To rent the aeroplanes from Sleap you have to become a member and Harrison paid his membership dues until the end of the year," said Pooler.

"I asked him, 'can we make you a temporary member of the aero club?' and he said 'I don't want to be a temporary member, I want to be a lifetime member'."

Props from the original Star Wars films, including a Stormtrooper's boot and a biker scout helmet from Return of the Jedi, are among 375 items of Hollywood movie memorabilia due to be auctioned tomorrow at Westfield London. The auction is organised by the movie collectibles company Prop Store, in conjunction with Vue CInemas.

Will Disney finally release original versions of all six Star Wars films?

A new Italian TV ad has sparked hopes that Disney might be planning to release the original theatrical cuts of George Lucas's first three Star Wars films.

20th Century Fox holds distribution rights to the original 1977 film in perpetuity, and theatrical and home distribution rights to the other five Star Wars movies until the year 2020. But despite this, ever since Disney’s 2012 acquisition of LucasFilm LTD and the Star Wars franchise, many fans have been hoping that a DVD/Blu-Ray release of the pre-1997 Special Edition original trilogy might be on the cards.

Now, a new Italian TV ad for Disney's digital servives offers an intriguing clue, by clearly depicting a clip from Episode IV. Time to start taking the rumours a little more seriously?

02.10.14

The AT-AT could return?

Rumours are circulating that Daisy Ridley's character, thought to be a salvage yard worker, lives in a collapsed AT-AT in Star Wars VII. Ridley's character, Kira, who some are calling "the new hero" of the seventh installment, discovers a lightsabre nearby, which sparks her Star Wars adventure.

Oscar Isaac, one of the stars of JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars Episode VII, has criticised the alterations made by George Lucas to the the six existing Star Wars films.

"To go back and kind of tweak it with new stuff, it doesn’t make it more interesting for me as a watcher," Isaac said. The actor added that he'd "much rather go back and watch the old thing, because it’s a product of the time".

Lucas's most significant recent change is to have Darth Vader shout "Noooo!" when he pushes Palpatine down the shaft at the end of Return of the Jedi. In the original version of the film, Vader was silent. Lucas has also swapped a puppet Yoda in The Phantom Menace for a CGI one, and made the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi blink.

In the 1997 Special Edition re-release of Star Wars, Lucas re-edited an entire scene to make it appear as if a character named Greedo fired his gun first during an altercation with the film's popular antihero, Han Solo.

The decision caused outrage among fans, who felt that, by changing the order of events, Lucas was unnecessarily sanitising Solo's character.

Our open threadasks readers "Did George Lucas ruin Star Wars?" Contributers so far have flagged up the "Han shot first" controversy outlined above, and criticised Lucas's three Star Wars prequels, considered by many to be vastly inferior to the original trilogy.

26.09.14

The website Indie Revolver has reported that the new Star Wars film will feature a chrome Stormtrooper, and have unveiled two pieces of concept art (allegedly leaked from the film set), showing what the Stormtrooper will look like. According to the website's anonymous source, the chrome Stormtrooper will be part of an "elite guard", connected to the film's main villain.

(Picture: Indie Revolver)

24.09.14

Oscar Isaac reveals that "hundreds of Stormtroopers" are on set

Oscar Isaac, one of the stars of JJ Abrams's forthcoming Star Wars Episode VII, may have inadvertently revealed plot secrets about the new film.

In an interview with the US website Entertainment Weekly, Isaac said: "There’s nothing cynical about the way we’re doing this. Even in the way he [Abrams] is shooting it—he’s shooting on film and actually building the sets, so you’ve got hundreds of Stormtroopers or whatever, and hundreds of extras and all the ships. You actually see it. It’s all real. Everyone can interact with the world."

In the original three Star Wars films, the Stormtroopers were the army of the Empire, serving the Emperor Palpatine..

Isaac's words suggest that, in Abrams' new film, which is set several decades after the events of Return of the Jedi, the Empire may have regained some of its lost power.

19.09.14

New Millennium Falcon video has Batman vs Superman reference

Star Wars Episode VII director JJ Abrams has released a 30-second video, entitled Hunka Junka, to showcase the new Millennium Falcon from his upcoming film.

At the end of the video, Abrams makes a cheeky reference to the supposed rivalry between his Star Wars film and Zack Snyder's forthcoming DC adaptation, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, by revealing that a tiny model of the Batmobile has been hidden on the surface of the Falcon.

But you'll have to be distinctly eagle-eyed to notice the difference. Threepio actor of 40 years Anthony Daniels told Entertainment Weekly that he had a new costume that he could "get it on and off very quickly".

The Girls star was snapped wearing an X-Wing pilot's outfit at the weekend, which challenges the speculation that he may be the "tall and thin and terrifyingly creepy" cyborg that industry insiders and Star Wars fans have been expecting him to play.

A man has accidentally captured aerial photos depicting the MIllennium Falcon on the set of the new Star Wars film at Greenham Common, Berkshire.

Matthew Myatt was flying over the area to take publicity shots for a flying school, and originally thought his images were of two slightly strange-looking experimental aircraft.

When he took a closer look, however, Myatt realised he'd in fact managed to capture a partly constructed Millennium Falcon cloaked in a blue tarpaulin, and an X-Wing fighter.

(Picture: Matthew Myatt)

A Twitter-user named Justin Reeves has since managed to captureaerial video footage of the set, using a drone. The still below, taken from Reeves's footage, clearly depicts two docked X-Wing fighters.

10.09.14

Does this JJ Abrams tweet show the inside of the Death Star?

Earlier today, director JJ Abrams shared this image on the Bad Robot Twitter feed. While the image ostensibly appears to be a simple picture of a handwritten note about the new Apple watch, sharp-eyed Star Wars fans have spotted that the background behind the note bears an uncanny resemblance to the interior of the Death Star in the original Star Wars films. Could the Death Star be appearing in Episode VII?

(Picture: Bad Robot via Twitter)

For anyone interested in double-checking the distinctive Death Star decor, here's Vader and Obi Wan's battle from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope:

09.09.14

Liam Neeson: I want to be in the new Star Wars film

Liam Neeson, who played Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, hasn't been asked to join the cast of the new Star Wars film. However, the actor made it clear that, if given the chance, he would love to reprise his role as Qui-Gon Jinn in Episode VII.

When asked by the website HeyUGuys if he would take on the character again, Neeson said: "“I most certainly would. I certainly don’t want anyone else playing [Qui-Gon Jinn]. I don’t know what the current story now, at all. I think it’s Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, it’s [their] characters’ generation. I came way, way before that.”

While Neeson's character was killed at the end of The Phantom Menace, there's always a chance that Qui-Gon Jinn could appear as a ghost, or in a flashback scene. For Neeson's sake, let's keep our finger's crossed.

Liam Neeson in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

5.9.14

The Irish Film Board strikes back: no November filming on Skellig

A few days ago, rumours suggested that the Star Wars crew would be returning to Skellig Michael this November to shoot additional scenes. But Louise Ryan of the Irish FIlm Board has stated: "The Irish Film Board can confirm that no filming has been scheduled for Skellig Michael in the coming months. Any comments on the international blogs with regard to this matter is pure speculation at this stage."

Skellig Michael, where Star Wars Episode VII was filmed earlier this year

1.09.14

The return of the Skellig?

It was thought that filming on the remote Irish island Skellig Michael had wrapped. But, according to new rumours, it turns out that the crew may be returning to the island this November, to complete more scenes. Film website The Movie Bit reports that: "speculation is rife as to what role Skellig Michael will play in Episode VII. But one of the more popular notions is that it will serve as a location for the Sith Homeworld and this is where Luke Skywalker has been held captive."

Syrio joins Star Wars

Miltos Yerolemou in HBO's Game of Thrones, alongside Maisie Williams as Arya

Actor Miltos Yerolemou, who played skilled swordsman and fencing expert Syrio in the first season of Game of Thrones, has joined the cast of Star Wars. Lucasfilm are yet to comment on the signing, but it is widely believed that the actor will be taking on a major role. Fans are also speculating as to whether or not Yerolemou will be picking up a lightsabre in the new film; with his fencing prowess Syrio would make an impressive Jedi master.

29.08.14

The cast take on the Ice Bucket Challenge

It was only a matter of time before members of the Star Wars VII cast got dowsed in ice-cold water for charity – after all, the stormtroopers and avery squeaky R2D2 have taken it on.

Cast new-comer Daisy Ridley was the first to undergo the bucket, and nominated Mark Hamill in the process ("may the icy force be with you"). Hamill, complete with soggy beard and "symbolic" eye dropper, requested that the "entire cast" also get bucketed. This is what happened next:

Harrison Ford came next...

Then Peter Mayhew, with his wife Angie. British Star Wars cast member John Boyega was among their nominations:

25.08.14

Fan-made posters take internet by storm

A Star Wars fan artist, who goes by the name of AndrewSS7on the community art website Deviantart.com, has produced a stunning series of posters for Star Wars VII. The posters, which all feature the telling words "War" and "Aftermath", have been widely shared on social media, with many fans confusing them for official posters. This example of AndrewSS7's work depicts a Star Destroyer crashing into the ocean; you can check out his other posters here.

Picture: AndrewS77

24.8.14

Will Emperor Palpatine make a comeback?

Latino Reviewhave published an article that claims original Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine will be appearing in Episode VII. Although the character was apparently killed off at the end of Return of the Jedi, the article suggests that Palpatine may in fact have survived his fall on the Death Star; Luke survives a similar fall in The Empire Strikes Back, after all. According to the website, the news was leaked by an unnamed source, who stated: "the Emperor 100% will appear in Star Wars Episode VII and VIII." However, Screenrant have speculated that the character may simply be appearing as part of a flashback, rather than as the film's main villain.

The Screenrant article also argues that 85-year-old Episode VII cast member Max von Sydow, who is already rumoured to be playing an evil character, would be the perfect choice for Palpatine. To date, Sydow's role in the film has not been announced. Ian McDiarmid, who played Palpatine in Return of the Jedi and in the recent trilogy of prequels, will not be returning for Episode VII.

15.8.14

Star Wars 7 will swap CGI for practical effects

Rian Johnson, the director of Looper who will be taking over from JJ Abrams for Star Wars Episode 8, has confirmed that more effects will be done practically rather than by CGI in Episode 7. It's been suspected, and hoped, that there would be a more traditional approach in this film, but the news should pacify those fans who were angered by the introduction of CGI effects into the original trilogy.

Johnson appeared on theGirls in Hoodies podcastto talk about his visit to the Episode 7 set. He said: "They’re doing so much practical building for this one, it’s awesome ... They’re doing it all right."

And the beard is still in place. Which can only mean two things: one, the two-week filming haitus must be coming to an end, or already has, and two: the older Luke Skywalker must be sporting some Obi-wan Kenobi-esque facial hair.

After being airlifted tohospital in June with a broken leg, causing a two-week break from filming in August, the Han Solo actor looked in fine form at the Los Angeles premiere for The Expendables 3. Not all of the Star Wars team have been taking it so easy, however. During the filming haitus Star Wars directors have reportedly been meeting in London to discuss the sequel films.

12.8.14

JJ Abrams announces Force for Change winner

Back in May, Abrams announced that for $10, Star Wars fans could enter themselves into a competition to win a role in Episode VII and a tour of the set with the director himself. Here's how he broke the news:

Plus the initiative raised more than $4 million for Unicef. So that's pretty awesome.

11.8.14

Zack Snyder's confusing tweets continue

You might think that Zack Snyder would be fairly busy directing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice right now, but he's managed to find time to send the geek universe into a spin over these Batman-Star Wars mash-up photos posted on Twitter.

The Twitter tit-for-tat continued last week. Snyder posted a cute photo of Batman and 'R2BIN' in the desert on Monday...

Only for the Bad Robot account to reply on Friday with this image of C3PO looking out over Gotham City:

The pictures have sparked rumours that Snyder could be involved with future Star Wars films, perhaps the character-led spin-off movies. Snyder's rep has said he is too busy with Man of Steel and 300: Battle of Artemisia, but Vulture are standing by their line that the director has been liaising with LucasFilm over a potential new project.

8.8.14

Could WWE star Sheamus be the new Vader?

Rumours suggesting that WWE star Sheamus may be the new Darth Vader have gained traction after the wrestler teasingly tweeted a picture of a light sabre. The 6ft 4in star was recently spotted in Ireland, close to where Episode VII filming is taking place. Last week, the wrestler tweeted a cryptic double negative response to an Irish Mirror story suggesting he might be Vader, stating he "won't not be" playing the Sith Lord:

In an interview on CNBC's Closing Bell, Disney boss Bob Iger said: "I can only tell you that production is underway. We had a very brief hiatus ... which is due in part to the fact that Harrison Ford broke his ankle." Iger refused to divulge any details about what the new film might hold, but teased fans by stating: "The footage we've seen is very, very exciting to us."

31.7.14

Skywalker turns up on Skellig

Mark Hamill has been spotted, getting a boat to the Star Wars set on Skellig Michael. The 62-year-old actor was sporting the same beard he's been seen with in recent months, suggesting that the facial hair is going to be a key part of Luke Skywalker's mature new look. Meanwhile, the debate on whether the Star Wars crew should be on Skellig at all is heating up. Unesco, the international culture and heritage agency, has asked the Irish Government for a report on the use of the island for filming, with Unesco spokesman Roni Amean has said: "we can't speculate what the filming of Star Wars on the site will do to the wildlife." Skellig, a World Heritage Site, is home to puffins, manx shearwaters, storm petrels and guillemots.

Mark Hamill at the Guardians of the Galaxy premiere on July 24 (Picture: Rex)

30.7.14

Han Solo walks again

Good news! Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has shared this snap of Harrison Ford "standing solo", without a wheelchair, cast or crutches. Fans hope that the actor will soon be able to resume Star Wars filming.

Another new location has been confirmed, as filming for Episode VII begins on the remote island of Skellig Michael, off the west coast of Ireland. Conservation groups have expressed concerns that the activity might disturb nesting sea birds during their breeding season, with Stephen Newton, a seabirds expert with Birdwatch Ireland, telling the BBC: "The birds could desert the island if they get too stressed out by the amount of noise and vibration." The Irish Film Board chief claims that the shoot is "designed specifically to avoid disturbance of breeding birds."

28.7.14

Simon Pegg "won't be in Episode VII". (Or at least his face won't be)

Rumours suggesting that actor Simon Pegg, who worked with JJ Abrams on Star Trek, would appear in the new Star Wars film have been swirling around for a while. But, in an interview with Vulture, Pegg has stated he won't appear in the film, as his face "would pop people out of the movie". Pegg's pointed reference to his "face" has led to speculation that the actor might still be appearing in the film, either in some form of disguise, or as a voice actor. (Perhaps he'll be a Stormtrooper. Or a tall Ewok?)

22.7.14

Gwendoline Christie's role revealed? (potential spoilers)

New rumours suggest that Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie may be playing an Imperial Officer in Abrams' forthcoming Star Wars movie. According to unconfirmed sources, character will chase after Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, as they attempt to discover the whereabouts of missing Jedi Luke Skywalker.

21.7.14

Possible plot details leaked (potential spoilers)

The website Bad Ass Digest has posted unconfirmed plot details about the opening scenes of Epsode VII. According to the unverified leak, the new film will open with a shot of Luke Skywalker's severed hand, tumbling through space, still gripping a light saber. The hand falls on to a desert planet, where it is discovered by characters played by Daisy Ridley and John Boyega. The pair recognise the light saber as a Jedi relic and decide to return it to its rightful owner. Their quest leads them to an eventual encounter with Han Solo and Chewbacca, who haven't seen Luke in thirty years. So begins a quest to find the missing Jedi Master. Meanwhile, on an ice planet, dark forces are crafting a super weapon, one capable of obliterating entire solar systems. (Possibly a new, souped-up Death Star?)

21.7.14

JJ Abrams offers first glimpse of X-Wing fighter

In a new video, released to promote Unicef's "Force for Change" initiative, Abrams gives fans a close-up of a batterd-looking Rebel Alliance spacecraft.

9.7.14

Could the Forest of Dean be the new Endor?

Exciting news, as a new location is confirmed: filming is taking place in Britain's Forest of Dean. Although there's no official information yet about which Star Wars locale the Forest might be representing, several observers have suggested that it might be standing in for the Forest Moon of Endor, home of the Ewoks.

Stormtroopers seen on set

Despite signing a strict non-disclosure agreement, Clerks director Kevin Smith has let a few details slip about his vsiit to the Star Wars set. According to the film blogFlickering Myth, when asked if there were Stormtroopers on set, the director repsponded with a nod and a big smile. Smith also confirmed that episode VII will have lightsabers (would it even be a Star Wars film without them?) 3.7.14

Temuera Morrison cast in Boba Fett spin-off?

The latest casting rumours suggest that Temuera Morrison, who played Boba Fett's father, Jango Fett, in prequel Attack of the Clones, may play the bounty hunter himself in Disney's spin-off Boba Fett film, which is due for release in 2016. But concerns have been raised that Disney may be attempting to turn the mercenary character into a more typical cinematic "good guy".

12.6.14

Harrison Ford breaks leg

71-year-old Harrison Ford has broken his leg on the set of the new Star Wars Film at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. Filming has been halted to allow the star to recover.

6.6.14

Lupita Nyong'o to play Obi Wan descendent?

The latest internet rumours suggest that new Episode VII cast member Lupita Nyong'o may be playing a descendent of Obi Wan Kenobi in the film. No official announcements about her role have been made yet.

4.6.14

Josh Trank to direct Star Wars spin-off

Josh Trank, the man behind the low-budget sci-fi hit Chronicle, will direct a Star Wars spin-off film. “We’re thrilled to welcome Josh into the family,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Fans suspect that Trank's film will be the Han Solo spin-off, with Godzilla director Gareth Edwards most likely helming the Boba Fett project.

3.6.14

Millennium Falcon photo leaked from Star Wars set

The website TMZ has unveiled a gallery of leaked photos from the Star Wars set in Abu Dhabi. For Star Wars fans, most exiting image of all appears to show Han Solo's famous spacraft, the Millennium Falcon, suggesting that the iconic ship will definitely be making an appearance in Episode VII.

(Picture: TMZ)

6.2.14

Lupita Nyong’o and Gwendoline Christie join the Episode VII cast

12 Years A Slave star and Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o and Game of Thrones's Gwendoline Christie have been named as the altest additions to the new Star Wars cast. ”I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

Lupita Nyong'o (Picture: Rex Features:/Everett)

25.5.14

Possible video of Daisy Ridley's stunt double released

At first, rumours suggested that the impressively acrobatic woman in this video, purportedly taken on the Star Wars set, is Ridley herself. Conflicting reports have stated that the video is nothing to do with Star Wars, while others, including Daisy Ridley news, hint that the woman in the video might be Hannah Levitt-Collins, Ridley's stunt double. Star Wars stunt women Chloe Bruce, Florian Robin and Levitt-Collins are all currently on set in Abu Dhabi, staying at the same hotel as the Episode VII crew.

22.5.14

Gareth Edwards to direct Boba Fett spin-off?

Disney has revealed that Godzilla director Gareth Edwards will direct a Star Wars stand-alone spin-off, due for release in December 2016. Many fans suspect that the currently untitled film is Disney's proposed Boba Fett project.

For a $10 donation, Star Wars fans will have the chance to appear in JJ Abrams' new film.

9.5.14

Kenny Baker definitely not too ill to be in Star Wars

David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy (although James Earl Jones voiced the character), told the website Movie Cricket: "I can’t see (Kenny Baker returning for ‘Episode VII’)…He is in such a terrible state with his terrible chest. I can’t honestly see it…" Luckily for R2D2 fans, Baker disputes Dave Prowse's accusations that he is too unwell to return to the new Star Wars VII film. Kenny tells The Telegraph that "Dave Prowse is making it up. I saw him just the other day", but refuses to discuss the Star Wars film any further.

It's official: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will all be in the new Star Wars film,alongside original cast membersHarrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. Kenny Baker not only played R2 D2 in all six Star Wars films, but also doubled up as an Ewok in 1983's Return of the Jedi. But there's still no news on whether they'll be Ewoks in Episode VII.

Director Abrams has shared this snap on Twitter along with the hashtag ‘#episodeVII’. This is the first shot to be shared from the film’s production, and confirms that everyone’s favourite droid, R2-D2, will be returning to the franchise.

(Picture: JJ Abrams/Twitter)

7.11.13

Release date for Episode VII confirmed

The big news is here. Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled for release on December 18 2015. Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn said: “the official 2015 release date… will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture". The December release date is a first for the franchise: every previous Star Wars film has been released in May, with "May the fourth" traditionally dubbed Star Wars day.

10.13

JJ Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan take over script

Michael Arndt, who was pegged to write the script from the start, has been dropped from the project. He has been replaced by director Abrams and Kasdan, who worked on Episodes VI and V. The story surrounds rumours that Abrams was originally unhappy with Arndt’s original script, and is beginning to write a “completely different movie”.

27.7.13

John Williams will write the score

Legendary film composer John Williams, who wrote the music for the original Star Wars trilogy, will be returning to score Episode VII.

3.7.13

George Lucas announces retro casting

It's official: the original Star Wars trio of Luke, Han and Leia will be reunited in Episode 7. Lucas told Business Week magazine: “We had already signed Mark and Carrie and Harrison - or we were pretty much in final stages of negotiation. So I called them to say, ‘Look, this is what’s going on' "

4.2.13

Disney hints atHan Solo and Boba Fett spin-offs

Disney CEO Bob Iger has revealed that there will be a series of additional Star Wars films, taht will be based on the franchise’s characters, but not part of the “overall saga”. Entertainment Weekly reports that two of the proposed projects will be: "a young Han Solo saga, focusing on the wisecracking smuggler’s origin story, and a bounty hunter adventure with Boba Fett at the center of a rogue’s gallery of galactic scum." Meanwhile, a report from Aint It Coolnews suggests that a film focusing on Yoda may be the first of Disney's planned standalone spin-off films. Other Star Wars spin-off include the Eighties made-for-TV movies Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. (Are Disney secretly planning a whole new series of Ewok films? Fingers crossed.)

Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn has announced that Episode VII will be out in summer 2015, followed by Episode VIII in 2017 and Episode IX in summer 2019. The spin-off films will be released in the years in-between.

JJ Abrams has been announced as the director of Star Wars: Episode VII. The Star Trek director was a favourite amongst Star Wars fans, despite previsously downplaying his chances, saying: "I am looking forward more than anyone to the next iterations of Star Wars, but I believe I will be going as a paying moviegoer!"

3.12.12

George Lucas confirms involvement

Lucas, speaking to the TV show Access Hollywood, has stated that he is "basically not involved" in the new Star Wars films, but will act as a handy fact-checker of Star Wars trivia, because he "actually knows a lot".

George Lucas on the set of The Phantom Menace (Picture: Reuters)

1.11.12

Episode VII will be a new story

A Lucasfilm source has revealed that the forthcoming film won't be based on the existing Star Wars books, but on a brand new story by Lucas, set 30 years after the events of Episode VI, Return of the Jedi. This backs up claims from Mark Hamill that Lucas "said he had decided to do Episodes VII, VIII and IX" during lunch with Hamill and Carrie Fisher in August 2012.

30.10.12

Disney buys Lucasfilm, announces new Star Wars film

Disney has bought the Star Wars franchise Lucasfilm for £2.5bn and says another, as yet untitled, Star Wars film will be released in 2015.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away... (aka 1976)

According to actor Mark Hamill, in 1976 George Lucas was already planning a grand total of nine Star Wars films.